Despite being out on bail in connection to an ongoing homicide case when he was arrested earlier this month for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend and punching a police officer in the face, a New Bedford District Court judge refused to revoke the defendant’s bail, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

Glenn Westgate, 41, of New Bedford, was arrested June 2nd in New Bedford after police were called to his home for reports of a domestic assault. A witness told police that he was doing yard work on his property when he observed the defendant and the victim arguing outside their home on Oliver Street. The witness told police he saw the defendant grab his girlfriend, place his hands around her head and put her into a headlock. He further observed the victim break free from the defendant and run inside the home. The defendant ran into the home after her, at which point the witness called police.

When police arrived at the home, they reported hearing the victim yelling, “get away from me.” Officers knocked on the door several times as the yelling from inside continued. After several minutes passed, the female victim opened the door. At that point, police report that the defendant came running down the stairs yelling at the police to get off his property, and threatened that he will “fu** them up.” While the officers attempted to place the defendant under arrest, he allegedly pushed back and punched one officer in the face with a closed fist, causing minor injuries. The defendant and the officer fell backwards onto the floor, at which point police report the defendant continued to flail his arms and kick his legs in an attempt to get away.

At the time of this incident, the defendant was out on bail for a pending Superior Court case where he was indicted for misleading police in a homicide investigation. He was arrested by State Police in May 2018 on that charge as part of the ongoing investigation into the homicide of Marcus Roberts in New Bedford. When a Superior Court judge set bail in that case, he was also given a bail warning that stated if he was arrested again during the pendency of his case, he could have his bail revoked and be held without bail for 60 days.

During his arraignment on June 3rd in New Bedford District Court in regards to his new arrest, prosecutors from the Bristol County District Attorney office requested that a dangerousness hearing be held. The hearing was held last week and after taking the matter under advisement, Judge James McGovern ruled that the defendant is not a danger and could be freed on $1,000 cash bail as long as he stays away from the victim and resides with his parents. At that point, a prosecutor from this office requested that the defendant’s superior court bail be revoked, meaning he would be held without bail for 60 days. Judge McGovern, however, declined to revoke the defendant’s bail despite the fact that he violated the term of his pre-trial release in the superior court case.

“This defendant was on release for misleading police in a murder investigation. He is now charged with putting his girlfriend in a headlock and punching a police officer in the face. Based on these facts, it is astounding to me that the defendant’s bail was not revoked on the superior court case,” District Attorney Quinn said. “This is another example of how bail warnings given by the court are often meaningless and not enforced. The new bail conditions on the current case imposed by the court are precisely what he should have been complying with when he allegedly committed this new crime. This defendant belongs off the street; not living with his parents.”

Glenn Westgate did make some posts related to the case before and after (on our Facebook page) this article was published.